2:1 Columbus MetroStars Chung(OG) Washington Lapper(OG) 07.18.01 · League

A goal from second half substitute Dante Washington with five minutes remaining proved to be the gamewinner in the Columbus Crew's 2-1 victory over the visiting MetroStars at Crew Stadium on Wednesday night. Washington entered the game in the 82nd minute and scored his sixth goal of the season a few minutes later.

In the 85th minute, forward Jeff Cunningham was launched down the right side of the MetroStars penalty area. Goalkeeper Tim Howard charged to challenge him but Cunningham dribbled by him toward the end line and then sent a centering pass toward the penalty spot. Washington was there to stop the ball and hit it hard enough while slipping backward to get the ball past three defenders and into the back of the net.

The MetroStars had tied the game at 1-1 just four minutes earlier on the second own goal of the game. Colombian forward Adolfo Valencia, on the right side of the Crew box, crossed the ball toward the center of the area but Columbus defender Mike Lapper deflected the cross past his own goalkeeper, Tom Presthus, and inside the far left post.

The Crew took the lead on a MetroStars own goal in the 62nd minute. Crew midfielder Duncan Oughton, who was playing in place of regular John Harkes, launched a pass which was destined for Brian West who was charging down the right side of the MetroStars penalty box. His ball was met by a diving header from MetroStars midfielder Mark Chung at the top of the box. But in his attempt to clear the ball out of West's path, Chung redirected it past Howard and just inside the left post.

The second half was more eventful than the opening period and the 1-0 Crew lead opened the up the game on both ends. In the 65th minute Howard made the save of the game by parrying a Jeff Cunningham shot from the top of the box which was destined for the left post.

Both teams had trouble creating scoring opportunities in the first half. The four-man back lines on each side were able to neutralize the attacks with timely interventions. In the fifth minute Cunningham stole the ball on the right flank from defender Steve Jolley, who was the last man on the MetroStars' back line. Cunningham tried to lob a shot over Howard, who was well off his line in an attempt to aid his defender but the strike finished high over the bar.

The MetroStars' best opportunity of the first half came in the 23rd minute when Petter Villegas, on the right side, lofted a well-weighted ball toward the center of the Crew penalty box. The service bypassed leaping defender Tenywa Bonseu and fell right on the head of Valencia who sent a header which was caught in the air by Presthus, who did not have to move a step.

The Crew had the best looks at goal during the first 45 minutes. With one minute left in the half, another Oughton right-footed shot from the top of the box was saved by Howard and deflected out of play. On the ensuing John Wilmar Perez corner kick, Crew forward Brian McBride rose high to bounce a header just wide of the left post.

Mike Petke, playing in his 100th match as a MetroStars player, was forced to come off due to a foot injury in the 67th minute. Midfielder Billy Walsh came on for Petke and had two looks at goal but had a close-range shot deflected out of play in the 71st minute and one minute later he sent a left-footed shot high from the top of the box.

Lineup: Howard, Perez, Petke, Jolley, Semioli, Alvarez, Williams, Villegas, Hernandez, Myers, Valencia. Subs: Chung, Walsh, Faria.